PERFECTLY PINK RACK OF LAMB

One of my most favourite cooks, perfectly pink medium rare rested juicy sumptuous rack of lamb served with rich creamy dauphinoise potatoes and naturally sweet caramelised roasted baby carrots and parsnips, with a red wine burgundy and port stock sauce.

Prep Time 15 minutes / Oven Cooking Time 1hr 45 minutes

Ingredients

(serves 2-4)

Lamb

2 full racks of lamb

Pinch sea salt & ground black pepper

 4 tbsp olive oil

20 baby carrots peeled

20 baby parsnips peeled

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Dauphinoise 

1kg Desiree potatoes

400ml whipping cream

2 cloves garlic grated

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

400g Gruyere grated

Salt 

Black pepper

Burgundy Port Sauce

500ml lamb stock

300ml burgundy

200ml port

200g butter

1 shallot finely diced

First pre heat your oven to 180 degrees, take the lamb out of the fridge and leave to one side to come up to room temperature, meanwhile peel the potatoes and finely slice, if you have a mandolin brilliant, if not, as thin as you can by hand, place in a large bowl, pour in the cream and mix well.  In a deep roasting tin place a single over lapping layer covering the bottom of the pan, season with a tiny pinch of salt, black pepper, nutmeg, grated garlic and a sprinkle of grated cheese.  Repeat the layers and finish the top off with extra cheese.  Bake in the oven for 1 hr 40 minutes, cover the potatoes after 30 minutes.  This gives you your time line for serving the finished dinner.  Next prepare the roasted vegetables.

Bring a pan of water to a simmer, add the carrots and parsnips, blanch for 5 minutes, drain and plunge in to a bowl of cold water, drain and place in a bowl with a generous glug of olive oil toss and season with salt and pepper, place in a large low sided roasting tin and pop in the oven for 45 minutes, 1hr after the dauphinoise went in, next make the sauce.

Place the shallot in a deep saucepan add the lamb stock, on a rolling simmer reduce the stock by half, add the burgundy and port and reduce by half again, add the butter and whisk in, this will thicken the sauce a little and add another layer of richness and give the sauce a glossy finish, leave ticking over on the lowest heat.

When there is only 25 minutes left before serving, place a non stick frying pan on a high heat, rub the lamb racks with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper, place in the pan and sear each side for about 30 seconds, until nicely browned all over, place the racks on a flat roasting tin and pop in the oven for 17 minutes, this timing is Crucial, do not leave the lamb in the oven for one second longer!  Take out and cover with a tea towel to rest for five minutes while you serve up the rest of the dinner, add any lamb resting juices to the burgundy sauce before serving, sprinkle a pinch of parsley over the finished plate. 

The lamb racks can be cut in half to feed four or left whole as a generous portion for two.